


Return

by glowingGalaxies



Series: Regrow - A Persona 4 Arcana Swap AU [7]
Category: Persona 4, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arcana Swap (Persona Series), Gen, New Game Plus, but with a twist!, god teddie is REALLY fun to write, yosuke chie and saki also have lines but I didn't want to tag them bc it's not huge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:54:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26609344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glowingGalaxies/pseuds/glowingGalaxies
Summary: The famous Theodore "Theo" Seta suddenly realizes something isn't right. Why... isn't he in Inaba?Where's... Sensei?
Relationships: Kuma | Teddie (Persona Series) & Narukami Yu, Kuma | Teddie (Persona Series) & Persona 4 Protagonist, Kuma | Teddie (Persona Series) & Seta Souji
Series: Regrow - A Persona 4 Arcana Swap AU [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1935223
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	Return

It's a chilly spring morning as Theodore Seta- or just Theo!- discusses his schedule through the start of summer break with his manager. Theo's half paying attention- he knows that while they act like he has a choice of schedule, she's always sure she knows best and won't really listen to changes larger than a day or two. 

But that's fine! He doesn't really need changes anyway. He's already thinking about what kinds of stuff he can do in his next photoshoot- ooh, and what he might get to wear!

"- So that's the proposed schedule through May. That work for you, Theo?"

He nods, barely aware he's been asked some question but not worrying too much about whatever he's agreeing to. "Sure, sounds fine by me!"

Hah, "bearly".

Wait.

_Bearly?!_

His eyes widen, and suddenly the outfits are the last thing on his mind because there is a lot of other stuff flooding his mind. Without thinking, he jumps out of his seat. "W-wait, I need to go to Inaba!!"

His manager turns back to him. "... What?"

His brain finally catches up to him. Or, well, maybe it's his… other brain?? That doesn't sound right either... but the point is that normal Theodore Seta knowledge finally catches up with his sudden memories. "Uh… uh…" He sighs, sinking back into his chair. "Nevermind…"

He _just_ agreed to that stupid schedule, his manager isn't going understand if he tries to change things _now_. He's almost mad that he knows that. He'll just have to wait until they start figuring out his summer schedule… May isn't _that_ far away, right? 

… May was un _bear_ ably far away from March, as it turned out. Between homeschool with expensive private tutors (which was _way_ less exciting than "sneaking" into Yaso High), photoshoots (which gave him fun outfits to wear but were so _specific_ about how he wore them), and not having contact with any of his friends, how was a bear expected to survive?!

Well… _bearly_ , apparently. He'd marked the day on his calendar with _lots_ of hearts and stars and doodles of his old beary self- halfway through May, the meeting for his summer schedule. His _chance_.

It took all of his practiced restraint not to immediately ask about Inaba, but he couldn't break the pattern these meetings follow, or no one would listen to him! For Sensei, and all his other friends, he could manage.

Finally… "Any objections, Theo?"

He didn't bother pointing out that he told them to call him Teddie now. "Uh, yes!! I want to go to Inaba instead of any of that. ...Please!!"

His manager looked pretty surprised, and Teddie was pretty sure he couldn't remember a time before where he'd asked for a change to the schedules, let alone something as big as this. But if _this_ didn't work, he was just going to have to run away. He couldn't keep the others waiting, and he needed to know what was going on!

After a moment of agonizing silence, his manager muttered something about "stars needing hiatuses at the worst times," then more loudly, "Well, I… suppose we can try to make this work, since you don't usually give us too much trouble about stuff like breaks."

Teddie's face lit up. "Oh, thank you!! How soon can I go to Inaba- can I go right now? Should I go pack?? I-"

She sighed. "Your contracts for spring still last until the end of May, but we'll try to get you to the train station at the start of June. Actually…" Whatever she was going to say trails off as she whips out her phone and starts calling people. Not that Teddie minds too much, he has to go pack!!

Within three weeks, as promised, he finds himself on the long train to Inaba. They told him something about a room at the local Inn, and enrolling in the local high school for the second half of the year, but he really wasn't listening. They gave him directions, too, like he needed _those_. He was coming home!! Sensei would know what to do.

He'd wanted to go straight to the Dojima house, but now that he was here, all his luggage would kind of be a problem, so he reluctantly stopped by the Amagi Inn first.

The- wait, the _Hanamura_ Inn?? What was Yosuke doing here??

"Welcome to the Hanamura Inn. Can I help you, sir?" Yosuke asked him, with what sounded like his customer service voice from Junes, though he didn't look fully awake.

Teddie hesitated. If _he_ wasn't his old beary self, and Yosuke was different too, maybe everyone was different. And _he_ remembered- probably thanks to his fantastic nose sniffing out the truth (or maybe his bear puns were what did it?)- but Yosuke would've _recognized_ his brother, right? He didn't look that different, and he'd even started styling his hair to look like it did before.

"Uhh… do you… know who I am?" Teddie asked, trying anyway.

Yosuke studied him for a moment, kind of squinting like he does when he _almost_ has the answer but is about to ask Sensei for help. "Uh…"

Teddie sighed; this was going to be harder than he thought. "I think they registered my room under _Theodore_ Seta, but I'm just Teddie." 

"Alright, let me check the bookings and figure out your room for you, Mr…. Seta." Yosuke replied, pausing on his last name as if there was something weird about it.

Yosuke told him his room and handed him the key, but Teddie wasn't really paying attention anymore. If Yosuke didn't remember, did _anyone_ else?! Was he going to have to figure this out without _Sensei_?

Actually, if he had Sensei's last name, what did _that_ mean? Yosuke's name didn't change.

Oh, this was making his head hurt!

He pulled his suitcases into his room as he thought about what he could do next. Everything would be clearer if he was in the TV World, it had to be!! His nose wasn't _as_ good now that he was a real human, but he'd be able to sniff out something. Where else _could_ he go, if school was closed for summer?? 

But as he finished unpacking, he found himself yawning. Oh… it was pretty late already. It'd be dangerous to go into the TV World if he was falling asleep...

First thing in the morning, he bolted out of the Inn and headed for Junes. 

He hadn't accounted for the fact that Junes wasn't open for the day yet- or maybe he just forgot he didn't still work there- so the doors wouldn't open. He looked for any sign of an employee inside the store, and spotted someone with long brown hair cleaning the floors.

Frantic waving eventually got her attention, and she came over to the door. She looked… kind of familiar, but Teddie couldn't remember any time he'd seen her working at Junes. Had he seen her in a picture once, maybe?

She pointed to the CLOSED sign, and shook her head. Teddie wondered how loud he had to say please for her to hear it through the door.

Apparently, his volume was more than loud enough. She pulled the doors open just a bit. "Sir, we don't open for another half hour. Please just-"

He didn't let her finish, squeezing through the opening and pushing past her. He _had_ to get to the TV, he could worry about her later!

Behind him, he heard a swear and then the sound of her running after him. She wouldn't be able to follow him into the TV, though, and that's what mattered. The electronics section was in sight, and he ignored her shouting at him. As soon as he was close enough to the big TV the Investigation Team always used, he launched himself into it. The last thing he heard from the worker was a noise of surprise, and then a grumble. He was in!

For the first time, he found their usual stage foggy and difficult to see as he landed. Was this what it was like without his glasses? He wished he was a bear again…

But there was definitely a scent in the fog, and he spotted a silhouette facing him. It smelled like…

"SENSEI!!" he cried, scooping him up a hug. 

Sensei didn't move for a moment, apparently too shocked to see his favorite bear appear, then hugged him back tighter than he could even remember Sensei hugging him. "Teddie, I'm… so glad to see you!"

His voice sounded… kind of high pitched, for Sensei? Through the fog, he finally realized- Sensei was a _cat_! Like how Teddie was a bear!!

"Sensei, you're so cute!! Are you a Shadow like I was?"

"You… you really remember??" Sensei asked, worming his way out of the hug and staring at Teddie in disbelief.

"Of course! I got here as soon as I could, but my manager wouldn't let me leave right when I remembered. Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Sensei seemed to think about something. "So you're Rise now…" he muttered.

"Huh?"

"Do you remember how things ended badly before? I tried to do this year over, but I think something went wrong, and we're all mixed around now. I'm you, you're Rise, Yukiko is me, Chie is Yosuke…"

Teddie took a moment to process this. "So does that mean Yukiko has the power of the wild card now?"

"Yeah, and I'm stuck with Izanagi."

"Wow! Is everyone still together?"

"Almost everyone, we're still missing Rise. And they don't remember the original timeline like we do."

"So it's just you and me, huh, Sensei?"

He smiled a little at that. "Not quite. Do you remember what Yosuke said about his Senpai, Saki Konishi?"

That's when it clicked for Teddie. "Is that who I ran past in Junes? You saved her?? She remembers?!"

"You ran past Saki to get into the TV?" He asked, not sounding surprised.

"Yeah, well, the store wasn't open yet but I had to get in!! It was _beary_ important, Sensei!!"

"Saki's going to blame me for this." He didn't sound upset, though.

It was then that he realized Sensei had fur now, and Teddie _had_ to know which of them was softer. He started petting his head, and Sensei looked a little annoyed but began purring immediately, so Teddie didn't stop.

"Sorry to be the _bear_ er of bad news, but I think my fur is softer and more luxurious than yours, Sensei."

Sensei laughs, harder than he's maybe ever heard him laugh (but he's still purring, so it sounds kind of silly), and hugs him again. "I'm… so glad you're here, Teddie."

"I missed you too, Sensei!! Everything is so _weird_." 

He doesn't respond, still purring. After a moment, Teddie realizes Sensei is _crying_.

"Sensei, are you okay?"

Sensei laughs a little, but doesn't move or stop purring. "Yeah, I'm alright. It's just such a relief to know I'm not the only one who remembers."

After that, Sensei- or, Purrci, as he's apparently supposed to call him- explains everything Teddie missed, and why he hasn't told anyone else about what happened. He understands, even if he misses his friends. At least he can leave the TV now, but he… knows how Sensei feels.

Purrci's in the middle of a story when they hear others enter the TV world.

"... and that's how we narrowly avoided _that cat_ astrophe." He finishes.

"And here I thought I could _bear_ ly stand waiting to come here!" Teddie responds. He's used that one a lot, but now he can finally say it _to_ someone! Even if Sensei's already heard it a bunch of times before.

A voice he doesn't recognize- it must be Saki?- says, "Well, looks like I was right, and Purrci handled things."

Teddie turns to look at them, and wow, they're all so different! But still the same, too!! It's really hard to stop himself from running over and hugging them, but he _promised_ Sensei he'd help keep this cat in the bag.

"Wait, is that _Theodore Seta_?"

"You're a fan, Chie-chan?" He asks, just as Purrci whispers to him, "Your last name is _Seta_?!"

Chie frowns. "Did Purrci already tell you about us?"

"Yeah, I did. He's like Saki and already has a _purrsona_ , so I caught him up on what we've been doing."

"Just call me Teddie!" 

They still had a lot of questions after that, but they wouldn't be the Investigation Team if they didn't, right? Teddie's just happy to finally be home again.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been helping pix out with their arcana swap, and it's been so much fun haha!!
> 
> so glad to finally post this, I've got another one but it's spoilers so it's gotta wait for now......


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